Ceramic material



Patented Nai $1940 UNITED STATES azzimu a CERAMIC Louis Navias, Schenectady,N.Y.,aissignorto General Electric Company, a corporation of New York -No Drawing. Application necemberso, 1937,

Serial No. 182,583

11 Claims. (c1. ice-12) This invention relates broadly to ceramic materials. More speciflcallythe inventionis concerned with, and has as a principal object to, provide a novel sintered or flredceramic insulating material containing titanium dioxide and having a high dielectric constant and a low power factor.

There has been a growing need in the electrical art for insulating materialsof the ceramictype D that are mechanically strong, of high dielectric strength and, in addition, of high dielectric con- .stant and low dielectric loss'under high irequency. It has been suggested heretofore that a high proportion oftitania, (titanium dioxide) ll beincorporatedin ceramic compositions to'provide electrically insulating materials of high dielectric constant. In all cases a binder or flux for the titania is required. Bentoniteand other plastic clayey and clay-like substances previ- .'ously have been proposed as components of the ceramic body in order to bond the titanium dioxide particles into a solid mass. Alkali com- 5 pounds are commonly present in such binders.

' Sincealkali-containing substances generallyhave a detrimental effect upon-the electrical proper-- ties of an insulating material, great care had to be exercised inthe selection oi'the clayeybinder and only the smallest possible amount necessary to produce the desired bond was used. Otherwise the electrical values were adversely afiected to an excessive extent. Yet even with these precautions the requirementsof the electrical art for ceramic materials for particular applications have not been whollyfulfllled. p

a In my copending application Serial No. 182,564,

flied concurrently herewith, I disclosed and claimed ceramic materials comprising titanium dioxide and a bonding agent composed of a preformed substantially alkali-free glass. Such materials are characterized by their high dielectric constant and low power factor.

Inaccordance with he present invention improved clay-free ceramic insulating materials are produced by incorporating in the composition calcium titanium silicate (CaTiSiOs), also known as titanite, as all or a substantial part of a bond for titanium dioxide. A typical analysis of a grade of calcium titanium silicate which has been usedfin practicing the present invention is as follows:

. Percent by weight Calcium oxide (CaO) 28.3 Titanium dioxide (T102) 40.5 Silica (S102) 30.3 Iron oxide (F9203) 0.1 Undeterm 0.8

Other components in varying amounts also may be incorporated in the compositions of the inven- 00 tion.

The following examples are illustrative oi how the present invention may be carried into eflect:

Example! I Parts-by weight Titanium dioxide 90 Calcium titanium silicate;

The finely divided titanium dioxlde' and calcium titanium silicate are wet or dry milled together to forma' homogeneous mixture. If wet milled, the mixture is partly or completely dried, but preferably it is dried to a residual moisture content. of about 5 or'6 per cent. The mass then is shaped, for example, by compressing'by any suitable means and at any suitable pressure. For I instance, the mass may be pressed into shape in a hardened steel mold under a hydraulic pressure of 500 to 20,000 pounds per squareinch or more. The green. compressed mass is flred in m an oxidizing or inert atmosphere at any suitable temperature until it has become thoroughly vitrified. The temperature of firing ordinarily will be within the range of about 1150 C. to about 14250 0., depending upon the melting point of the particular grade of calcium titanium silicate employed, particle size of the titania, time of firing and other influencing factors. I have found that in most cases firing to Orton cone 10;wliich correspondsto a temperature of about 1260 C., in i a commercial tunnel kiln 400 feet long gives a so completely vitrified product. .The compositions may be matured in a few hours in a laboratory kiln it fired to about 1350 C.

Example 2 Y Parts by weight 1 Titanium dioxide 90 Calcium titaniumsilicate 5 I Magnesium oxide 5 40 Example 3 I Partsby I r v weight Titanium dioxide 90 Calcium titanium silicate Beryllium oxide... f 5 I Example 4 f Parts by 7 weight Titanium dioxide 9 0 Calcium titanium silicate; j 3.4 Magnesium oidde 3.4 Beryllium oxide 3.4

Example 5 Parts by weight Titanium dioxide I 4 Calcium titanium silicate 7.5

Beryllium oxide 2.5 so

Example 6 Parts by weight Titanium dioxide 90 Calcium titanium silicate 7.5 Magnesium oxide 2.5

Essentially the same general process of mixing, shaping and firing is followed in preparing the compositions of Examples 2 to 6, inclusive, as described under Example 1.

The vitrified ceramic materials made as described under the foregoing examples are suitable for use as condensers or capacitors. The sintered or vitrified compositions are mechanically strong, dense, homogeneous, have high dielectric strength, low power factor and high dielectric constant. In some cases the power factor isbelow 0.0002 when measured at 25 C. and 1000 kilocycles, and is of the order of mica.

In Table I are shown the average values for power factor and dielectric constant at 25 C. and 1000 kilocycles on representative samples of vitrified bodies in the form of disks approximately one-quarter inch thick made as described under each of Examples 1 to 6, inclusive.

The dielectric strength of the new ceramic materials on a 60-cycle A. C. puncture voltage test in air is of the order of 100 to 150 volts per mil thickness.

By varying the proportions of the different components, sintered compositions of varying Physical and electrical characteristics may be obtained. In general, however, the raw ceramic mix should contain from about 40 to 95 or more parts T102 to about 60 to parts or less CaTiSiOs, and preferably contains from about 80 to 95 parts TiOz to about to 5 parts CaTlSiOs. The calcium titanium silicate may be replaced in part .by non-clayey (clay-free) components adapted to bond the titania particles, for example, by magnesia, beryllia, or mixtures thereof.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A ceramic mix especially adapted for the production of matured ceramic materials having a high dielectric constant and a low power factor, said mix containing, by weight, from about 40 to 95 parts titanium dioxide and from about 60 to 5 parts of a clay-free inorganic binder, said binder comprising calcium titanium silicate in the said binder.

2. A dense, vitrified ceramic material comprising titanium dioxide and a clay-free bonding agent, said bonding agent comprising calcium titanium silicate.

3. A dense, homogeneous mass of titanium dioxide particles bonded together with from about 5 to 60 per cent by weight of the whole of a clay-free inorganic binder, said binder comprising calcium titanium silicate.

4. A ceramic material having a high dielectric constant and a low power factor and comprising a fired mixture containing 40 to 95 per cent by weight of titanium dioxide particles and substantially all the remainder of said mixture being a titanium compound consisting of calcium titanium silicate as a binder for the said titanium dioxide particles.

5. A dense ceramic material comprising the resultant of firing at an elevated temperature a mixture of, by weight, 80 to 95 parts of titanium dioxide and 20 to 5 parts of a clay-free bonding medium, said bonding medium comprising calcium titanium silicate, said calcium titanium silicate being the only titanium compound constituting a component of the said bonding medium.

6. A dense ceramic material comprising the resultant of firing to vitrification a mixture of, by weight, 80 to 95 per cent titanium dioxide and the remainder a clay-free inorganic binder adapted to bond the titanium dioxide, said binder comprising calcium titanium silicate and beryllium oxide. a

7. A dense ceramic material having a high dielectric constant and a low power factor and obtained by firing to vitrification a mixture of, by weight, 80 to 95 parts of titanium dioxide and 20 to 5 parts of a clay-free inorganic binder, said binder comprising calcium titanium silicate and magnesium oxide.v

8. A dense ceramic material having a high dielectric constant and a low power factor and obtained by firing to vitrification a mixture of, by

weight, 80 to 95 per cent titanium dioxide and the remainder a clay-free inorganic binder adapted to bond the titanium dioxide, saidbinder comprising calcium titanium silicate, beryllium oxide and magnesium oxide.

9. A matured ceramic material having a high dielectric constant and a low power factor and obtained by firing at an elevated temperature a mixture of the following substances approximately in the proportions stated:

Parts by weight Titanium dioxide 90 Calcium titanium silicate 3.4 Magnesium oxide 3.4 Beryllium oxide 3.4

10. A process of producing a dense ceramic insulating material of high dielectric constant which comprises preparing a ceramic mix containing, by weight, from about 40 to 95 parts titanium dioxide and from about to 5 parts of a clay-free inorganic binder, said binder comprising calcium titanium silicate, and firing said mix to vitrification.

11. A matured ceramic material having a high dielectric constant and a low power factor and obtained by firing to vitrification a mixture consisting, by weight, of approximately parts titanium dioxide and approximately 10 parts calcium titanium silicate.

LOUIS NAVIAB.

CERTIHCATE 0F CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,220,77h. November 5',- 19h0."

LOUIS nuns.

It is hereby certified that errorappears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, first column, lines 62 end 63, claim 1, strike out the words "in the said binder" and second column, lines 17, 18 and 19, claim 5", strike out said calcium titanium silicate being the only titanium compound constituting a component or the said bonding medium"; and that the said Letters Patent should be reed with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the casein the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 17th day -01 December, A.,D.' 191m.

V Hem-y van Arsdale, .(See1) Acting ,comiseioner of Patents. 

